Eliminator plate washer



A ril 20, 1937. H. Y. HALL 2,077,996

' ELIMINATOR PLATE WASHER v Filed Sept. 15, 1935 2 Sheets- -Shet 1 -//A/?/?) Y HALL IN V EN TOR.

, ATTORNEYS;

ELIMINILTOR PLATE WASHER Filed Sept. 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .INVENTOR. /i4/?RY, X HALL ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 20, W37

UNITED STATES amass PATENT QFFIQE 5 Claims.

My invention relates to a washing or cleansing device for eliminator plates.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide an improved washing device for elimi- 5 nator plates which is simple in construction, relatively cheap tomanufacture, and which will effectively clean the eliminator plates without seriously impairing the operation of the eliminator while being cleaned. 10 Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent or will be hereinafter pointed out.

, Briefly stated, in a preferred form of the invention the eliminator means herein termed eliminator plates are positioned in a current of 15 gas, such as flue gases carrying solid particles and usually entrained moisture. The eliminator plates may be located in the current of gases just prior to their passage to the stack, and preferably after the gases have passed through a socalled cinder catcher or other means for eliminating the greater part of the cinders, fly ash, and other solid particles.

The eliminator plates are hung or supported preferably in a vertical position and gases are W caused to pass between the plates in a tortuous path preferably by reason of an angular arrangement of plates or by making the plates themselves corrugated. The gases in passing between the plates deposit solid particles and water droplets thereon, and in the course of time the plates become coated or plastered and require cleaning.

My improved cleaner comprises means for projecting solid jets, as distinguished from a mere spray, of water along the plates and is preferably in the form of a header provided with a series of jet nozzles directed to project the jets from one edge of the plates longitudinally of the corrugations therein to the opposite end of the plates. The mechanical force of the water under comparatively high pressure serves to dislodge the solid material plastered on the plates and causes it to fall and be washed away. The header or set of jet nozzles is movable along one edge of the plates so as to successively wash adjacent 45 plates. Mechanical means, such as a motor equipped with reversing switch and suitable gearing, may serve to reciprocate the header at the proper rate, either continuously or from time totime, as may be required for maintaining the plates in clean and serviceable condition. By projecting the jets between adjacent plates, the spaces between other plates will be left free to properly take care of the current of flue gases or other gases designed to pass therebetween.

55 In the drawings which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view of a cinder catcher or eliminator and illustrating features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the washer recip- 5 rocating means illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view of parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the washer reciprocating means illustrated in Fig, 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a water header showing jet nozzles.

My eliminator plate washer is here illustrated in connection with a cinder catcher or eliminator, more specifically described and claimed in application of John J. Grob, Serial No. 547,879, filed June 30, 1931.

In said drawings, l indicates an eliminator box or housing having a breeching connection 2 for the introduction of flue gases or other dust laden gases. Gases entering the housing I preferably pass through a slightly restricted passage 3, which may be divided by means of a baffle partition shown. Substantially at the point of issuance of the gases into the box I, water is sprayed into the current downwardly and in the direction of flow of the gases. These water sprays serve to cause agglomeration of fly ash and other fine particles of solid matter. The gases are then caused to suffer an abrupt change of direction, preferably upwardly, thus causing a large proportion of solid matter to fall to the bottom of the box I. The gases deprived of a large proportion of entrained solid particles, but now burdened with entrained moisture and some solid matter, then pass toward the stack 4 and in reaching the stack are caused to pass over a final eliminator. In the form illustrated, such eliminator comprises a plurality of zig-zag or corrugated plates 5-5 suitably suspended or supported in the outlet from the box I by any desirable means (not shown). The gases in passing through the passages between adjacent plates 5-5 deposit a large part of the solid matter and entrained moisture. The water collecting on the plates 55 may drop to the bottom of the box I and such of the solid material as does not drop from the plates 5-5 sticks thereon and serves to plaster the same to such an extent that, if not removed, the draft passages are so restricted as to interfere with the proper draft.

My invention relates particularly to means for washing the plates 5-5. In the particular arrangement shown, two sets of eliminator plates, designated generally 6l, have been indithe jets are projected from end to end of the sets of plates, such as 6--1, so as to take advantage of the mechanical effect of the solid jets to break and wash the plastered material from the plates. I may provide one or more headers 89 preferably arranged vertically (when the plates 5--5 are arranged as shown), and'the header is provided with a plurality of jet nozzles 10-! ll suitably spaced therealong so that the jets of water will be projected over substantially the entire surfaces of the plates, or at least the jets will be near enough to each other to serve to.

break up the plastered solid material on: the plates and cause the same to. drop down and be washed off of the plates. While the particular nozzle sizes, etc., are largely a matter of design and the design will be variedin accordance with conditions, I have found that in. an installation such as illustrated, namely, with a set of. plates some fifteen or more. feet in length, nozzles, such as Illl0 spaced about four inches apart and designed to project a jet about 1% inch in diameter has proven entirely satisfactory. The header (both headers when more than one header is employed) is connected to the pipe or conduit l I which, in the form shown, passes through a suitable stufling-box 12 in the wall of the box I. A flexible hose l3 may be employed for supplying water to the header and nozzles.

In order to cause all of the eliminator plates to be washed, the pipe ll may be reciprocated so as to cause the vertical header to pass successively across the edges of all of the plates so as to effectively wash off the plastered material thereon. While such reciprocation could be by hand, I prefer to provide mechanical means for quite slowly reciprocating the pipe H, preferably intermittently, say once or twice a day, depending upon the frequency ofcleaning required.

In the form illustrated, I employ a motor l5 which, through a belt or other drive means and suitable gearing in a gearing box Hi, drives the bevel gear H which in turn, through a meshing bevel gear, drives the shaft I 8 and spur gear 19, all of such driving mechanism being suitably supported on abase. The pipe I I in the form illustrated carries a rack 20 meshing with the spur gear l9. Thus, when the motor drives the gearing heretofore noted, the rack will be moved so as to move the pipe I l and cause the jet header to be moved along the edges of the eliminator plates. A suitable reversing switch 2! may be carried by the drive mechanism support and be actuated at the ends of the travel of the rack 20 by means of switch actuating abutments 2223 in a manner which will be well understood. Thus, the header or headers may be very slowly reciprocated, or at least moved across the edges of the eliminator plates, so as to cause the same to be freed of adhering solid matter, and it is to be observed that with a single header, only a single space between adjacent plates is restricted to such an extent as to impair the free flow of gases.- All of the other spaces between adjacent plates will be free to take careof the current of gases and during the washing operation there will be substantially no impairment of the draft.

As illustrated particularly in Figs. 3 and 5 where two sets of eliminator plates 6'l are employed, the header is provided with oppositely directed nozzles l0l 0 so that both sets of plates may be washed simultaneously.

The invention has been described in connection with a cinder or fly ash eliminator but my washer is applicable as well to dust eliminators in cement or flour mills or other dust producing plants. The terms gas or dust laden gas should be understood to include air or air with entrained or floated solid particles or dust. The arrangement of various parts may be changed to meet particular requirements.

While the invention has been described in considerabledetail and a preferred form, shown, it is to be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an eliminator comprising a plurality of spaced corrugated plates between which gases are adapted to pass, the planes of the corrugated surfaces being transverse to the direction of gravity and presenting inclined surfaces on which solid particles carried by the gases become plastered, means for dislodging said plastered material comprising means to discharge a horizontal solid heavy stream of water at high pressure and substantially parallel to said inclined surfaces, whereby the plastered material is effectively dislodged due to the kinetic energy of the water travelling horizontally and supplemented by the force of gravity tending to pull the horizontal stream into contact with the plastered material on said inclined surfaces.

2. In an eliminator comprising a pluralityof spaced plates having angular surfaces between which gases are adapted to pass, the angular surfaces being arranged transverse to the direction of gravity, and being adapted to retain solid particles carried thereto by the flue gases and upon which said solid particles become plastered, means for dislodging said plastered material comprising means to discharge a horizontal solid heavy stream of water at high pressure substantially parallel to said inclined surfaces, whereby said plastered material is effectively dislodged due to the kinetic energy of the water travelling horizontally and supplemented by the force of gravity tending to pull the horizontal stream into contact with the plastered material on said inclined surfaces.

3. In an eliminator comprising a plurality of spaced plates, the same being arranged to catch and retain solid particles from flue gases passing therebetween and upon which said solid particles become plastered, means for dislodgingsaid plastered material comprising means to discharge a substantially horizontal solid heavy stream of water directed over said plates at high pressure, whereby the plastered material is effectively dislodged due to the kinetic energy of the water travelling horizontally and supplemented by the force of gravity tending to pull. the horizontal stream into contact with the plastered material on said plates.

4. In an eliminator comprising a plurality of spaced corrugated plates between which gases are adapted to pass, the planes of the corrugated surfaces being transverse to the direction of gravity and presenting inclined surfaces on which solid particles carried by the gases become plastered, means for dislodging said plastered material comprising means to discharge a horizontal solid heavy stream of water at high pressure and substantially parallel to said inclined surfaces, and means for moving said discharge means backwardly and forwardly with respect to said plates so that the discharged water traverses substantially the entire surface of said 10 plates, whereby the plastered material is effectively dislodged due to the kinetic energy of the water travelling horizontally and supplemented by the force of gravity tending to pull the horizontal stream into contact with the plas- 15 tered material on said inclined surfaces.

5. In an eliminator comprising a plurality of spaced corrugated plates between which gases are adapted to pass, the planes of the corrugated surfaces being transverse to the direction of gravity and presenting inclined surfaces on which solid particles carried by the gases become plastered, means for dislodging said plastered material comprising means to discharge at high pressure a plurality of horizontal solid heavy streams of water substantially parallel to said inclined surfaces, and means for moving said discharging means backwardly and forwardly so that the discharged water traverses substantially the entire surface of said plates, whereby the plastered material is effectively dislodged due to the kinetic energy of the water travelling horizontally and supplemented by the force of gravity tending to pull the horizontal streams into contact with the plastered material on said inclined surfaces.

HARRY Y. HALL. 

